Brits hoard £5bn out of date beauty products

Britons could be hoarding as much as £5bn worth of makeup which is out of date, according to research by Holland & Barrett.

21% of those questioned admitting to keeping products for far longer than recommended, with many not having cleared out their collection for more than two years.

We all kind of know that makeup has a best before date and can see changes in both the texture and appearance of products but you might be more surprised to hear the same can be said for shampoos and conditioners.

They, along with hair removal creams, face creams and nail polishes are among the most popular products that people keep until after their best.

Some people even admitted to having items that are up to five years out of date!

While some products, go runny, gloppy or dry out, it’s not always easy to tell when a product is past it’s sell by date but that doesn’t mean it won’t cause you harm. The biggest risk is that many can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which could cause skin reactions, breakouts and eye infections.

So it’s always worth making a note of the PAO (period after opening) label on all your products as you open them so you are not putting yourself at risk.